How do I dispose of stuffed animals?

I have washed them successfully. It just takes very gentle care and frequent checking during the dryer cycle. After a little while I take them out and let them finish by air-drying.

It’s possible to open an inconspicuous seam (if there isn’t a hole already) and refill with fresh stuffing. You can get it at a sewing or crafts store.

I’ll bet there are kids out there who would want them. How about giving them to a homeless shelter, clean and packed in a large plastic bag?

My mother used to wash stuffed animals that were turned into the charity shop where she volunteered. The local police department kept a couple animals in the trunk of their cars, because would take them down to the police station.

She used clean sneakers in the dryer to fluff them up.

Make them into some sort of scene. Draw or paint a backdrop and have them be the life of it.

A friend just told me about donating her kids’ stuffed animals to a church charity. I do think they should be in fairly good shape to be donated though.

FWIW, I’ve slept with a stuffed penguin for the last four years.

If you like it, I’d go with washing it and re-stuffing it as suggested by @Jeruba.

The only significance things hold is the significance we attach to them.

If the stuffed animals have significance to you beyond their utility value in helping you sleep better – however they do that – then that is their significance to you. It’s unlikely that a child, upon receiving your beat-up, drooled-upon, stained and shapeless stuffed animal would attach the same significance to it (assuming it was not so bereft of toys that this was a one-off, as in The Gods Must Be Crazy, where sacred significance is attached at a tribal level to a used Coke bottle).

So, yeah, you might find a child who would appreciate that thing “as is” ... but that’s not likely in the world that most of us inhabit. (That might be different among some family members, who may appreciate a gift ‘from you’ that contains whatever significance you have ascribed to it: if you offer it with a compelling story, then that could help.)

I would suggest throwing it out in the recycle bin as a useless-to-you used object of no particular significance (the fibers are generally recyclable, and certainly if the stuffing is some kind of natural fiber), and if it makes you feel better, donate a new toy to a worthy charity. Most kids do seem to attach significance to gifts that they receive when the gift is obviously new and objectively ‘valuable’ to anyone who can see it.

Wash them and take them to the animal shelter. Many animals like to snuggle; others will enjoy tearing them up. Animal rehabbers will also sometimes take them – orphaned babies like them.

@syz I was thinking that too – didn’t know if they took them.

If they are in good shape just in need of cleaning have them dry cleaned if you think the washer will ruin them. I am not sure, but if you donate them to a charity, hospital burn unit, etc. you may even get to write it off your taxes.

I’ve read where police sometimes give them to children when taking them out of abusive homes or drug homes.

When you say “stuffed animals”, you are referring to toys aren’t you?

@Adagio that was my reaction too. But I suspect that it’s that I’m the product of a bygone age when stuffed animals were about taxidermy. It’s strange that there is no word to differentiate the 2. The actual stuffed animals have been around for thousands of years, and when you think about it, a teddy bear is NOT a stuffed animal at all.

@Adagio What do they call them in NZ?

Thanks for all the responses. I’ll donate them to an animal shelter. They have lots of smells that the animals will appreciate. Or I guess I’ll wash them first.

When I emigrated, I had a huge pile of soft toys. If you have any that are in good condition, you could donate them to a children’s home. I took all my soft toys along and they were so thrilled to have them. They put all the good ones away for Christmas gifts. An animal shelter would definitely value any that are not quite so pristine.

Based on the suggestions above, I would offer the stuffed animals to an animal shelter, as is.

Otherwise, I would donate them to a charity thrift shop and let them decide if the animals can be re-used or re-purposed. It’s what they do. Likely the charity will know how to recycle if the toys can’t be re-used. Or they might send the toys overseas, where the kids don’t care if they’re pre-owned.

MANY firemen and police officers have stuffed animals in the trunk of their cars or stored in the trucks. Those are there for children that may need them during the course of an emergency. When I downsized from a 6 bedroom sized house to a tiny apartment, I donated boxes and boxes to firemen and police charities specifically looking for stuffed animals, like Project Smile or Stuffed Animals for Emergencies

Granted, these agencies only accept gently used/in good condition animals, but this is a great place to start.

These aren’t the only two agencies—there are many more similar agencies online.

Knowing how much you love (real) animals I think @syz gave the best idea.

You can just picture lonely little caged animals cuddling up with one of your much loved childhood friends. They certainly won’t mind if they’re a little worse for wear. Animals don’t judge on cosmetic stuff like that.

^^Or shredding it to pieces…

Build A Bear might help you add additional stuffing to your stuffed animals. They helped us fix something for free and were very friendly (if you can handle the mall itself).

@janbb I’ve only known them as soft toys.

@stanleybmanly Yes, taxidermy! That is the first thought that came to my mind also.